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Lot essay

Watts painted several versions of this subject, showing the mayoral barge in various positions along this stretch of the Thames, before London Bridge. A version in the collection of the Museum of London shows a poster refering to the balloonist Charles Green, and his balloon the Royal Vauxhall, which made ascents from Vauxhall between the years 1838 and 1841, helping to date our painting from within that period.

Our thanks to Francis Marshall, Senior Curator of Paintings, Prints and Drawings, Museum of London, for his help in the preparation of this catalogue entry.